Remember people, it's just another plant! They're the ones making a big deal out of it where none exists

Nicotine could soon be rehabilitated as a treatment for schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, as well as hyperactivity disorders.

Research shows that the chemical that has addicted millions to smoking has a powerful impact on brain activity in patients who suffer from psychiatric and degenerative disorders.

Some experiments have shown that nicotine can slow down the onset of Parkinson's symptoms; others have had revealed its power in curtailing the hallucinations of schizophrenics.

'A whole range of psychiatric conditions seem to be helped by nicotine,' said Dr Dan McGehee, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago. 'However, such benefits do not justify smoking. The lethal effects of cigarettes far outweigh any help they provide. On the other hand, our research does suggest that derivatives of nicotine, administered medically, could help to alleviate a range of psychiatric problems.'

Nicotine is known to switch on receptors on the surface of cells in certain parts of the brain, causing these neurones to release the neuro-transmitter dopamine, a chemical that is associated with feelings of pleasure. This effect leads to a person's addiction.

'A whole range of psychiatric conditions seem to be helped by nicotine,' said Dr Dan McGehee, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago. 'However, such benefits do not justify smoking. The lethal effects of cigarettes far outweigh any help they provide. On the other hand, our research does suggest that derivatives of nicotine, administered medically, could help to alleviate a range of psychiatric problems.'

Nicotine is known to switch on receptors on the surface of cells in certain parts of the brain, causing these neurones to release the neuro-transmitter dopamine, a chemical that is associated with feelings of pleasure. This effect leads to a person's addiction.

More than 50 per cent of people suffering from clinical depression smoke, while the figure rises to 95 per cent for schizophrenics. But smoking among the general public has dropped to about 25 per cent. 'The assumption is that people with psychiatric conditions are self-medicating,' said McGehee. 'They are smoking because the nicotine in particularly helpful in alleviating their condition.'

This point is backed by Dr Tony George, of Yale University. 'Smoking is a marker for psychopathology,' he states in the current issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

Similarly, it has been found that nicotine can sometimes slow the debilitating symptoms of Parkinson's, a disease caused by the slow destruction of certain types of brain cells.

'Either nicotine stimulates other types of brain cells to compensate for the loss of the cells involved in Parkinson's, or it is somehow providing protection to remaining healthy Parkinson's cells,' said McGehee. 'Either way, the effect is noticeable.'

Comment: On this paragraph:

'A whole range of psychiatric conditions seem to be helped by nicotine,' said Dr Dan McGehee, a neurobiologist at the University of Chicago. 'However, such benefits do not justify smoking. The lethal effects of cigarettes far outweigh any help they provide. On the other hand, our research does suggest that derivatives of nicotine, administered medically, could help to alleviate a range of psychiatric problems.'

The most effective and practical way to infuse nicotine into the brain is by smoking tobacco. Other commonly available methods are much less effective.

There is a BIG difference between smoking more or less pure tobacco and name brand cigarettes, specifically, the any number of over 200 chemicals that are added to name brand cigarettes that are not present in hand rolled tobacco. Is the scientific community so impotent that it cannot figure this out and at least do some studies on it?

Reader Comments

Pharma is discovering what the Orthomolecular Docs have known for 50 years: many diseases are simply nutritional deficiencies and Pharma wants a piece of the (patentable) action.
Pharma has already persuaded the FDA to remove Pyridoxamine, a form of B-6 from the OTC vitamin market and now they're going after P5P, the natural and bioactive form of B6 which might compete with a drug which Medicure might, bring to market. Merck alrady has two forms of prescription niacin on the market, Niaspan & Advicor. Google around to find a price for these drugs (one of which is combined with a statin, the other simply timed-release niacin) and compare it with the price of the vitamin.
[Link]
As for cigarettes as a delivery-system for nicotinic acid, while it's cheaper (and possibly safer) than a trip to Pharmaland, vitamin B-3 is cheaper and safer than both and it's STILL available at your local heath food store. Abram Hoffer said "For schizophrenics, the natural recovery rate is 50%. With orthomolecular medicine, the recovery rate is 90%. With drugs, it is 10%. If you use just drugs, you won't get well. " Please read the linked article below"

Within the past few months pharmaceutical companies have bought New Chapter, makers of high quality nutritional supplements. I use their natural Omega 3 supplement. Pfizer just bought Alacer Corp, the US makers of the largest selling vitamin C supplements (Emergen-C).

I think that the trend will be to acquire popular supplement manufacturers with annual sales in excess of $100 million. Will they then alter the formulations to reduce potency and effectiveness? Substitute naturally derived ingredients with cheap synthetics? Probably.